Questions and answers
Straight answers
If your question is not here, write to us using the pilot form.
Cost and business model
Is SokoNexus free?
During the pilot, suppliers pay nothing to build and share a Trust Passport. A buyer's first checked shortlist is free. Any paid service is agreed in writing before work starts.
How does SokoNexus make money?
From buyers, through service fees for sourcing and matching, and later through subscriptions to market and compliance reports. Programmes and agencies can sponsor verification for groups of exporters. We do not take a cut of your payments, and we never sell your data.
Will suppliers have to pay later?
Pricing after the pilot will be published in advance, and nobody is charged without agreeing first.
Verification
Who checks the documents?
A named SokoNexus reviewer. Software can help, but only a person can mark a claim as verified.
What do the evidence levels mean?
Reported: the supplier told us. Document-checked: a reviewer compared documents with the claim. Independently verified: a third party confirmed it. See how verification works.
How long does verification take?
It depends on how complete the documents are. We tell you the expected time when we review your application.
I don't have certification yet. Can I still apply?
Yes. Your Trust Passport shows what is in place and what is missing, so buyers who do not need that certificate can still find you.
Data and trust
Who sees my documents?
Our reviewers, and buyers only after you consent. Read data and documents.
Where is my data stored?
The database is in Zurich, Switzerland. The application runs on servers in Frankfurt, Germany.
Can I delete my data?
Yes. Write to us and we delete it, except records the law requires us to keep.
Scope
We're happy with our current suppliers. Why use SokoNexus?
You can keep them. Invite a supplier you already trade with to a free Trust Passport: their documents are checked and dated for new rules such as the EU deforestation regulation, you have evidence for your own customers and auditors, and pre-checked alternatives are there if a harvest or a border check ever lets you down.
Do you handle payments, shipping or financing?
No. Buyers and suppliers contract and pay each other directly. We record the evidence and the steps of the deal.
Which products and countries are next?
The pilot covers dried mango from Ghana, and macadamia kernels and specialty coffee from Kenya, to Switzerland and the Netherlands. Demand from pilot members decides what opens next.
Are the examples on the site real?
No. Every illustration uses fictional data and is labelled. Pilot partners will be named only once they agree.